Time for a High tea

Chef David Bearl reaches for a dried cranberry and orange scone, part of an array of cucumber sandwiches, salmon and shrimp canaps, truffles and pastries as a smidgen of tea is poured.

By MADELYN TROYANEK, Staff (Chef David Bearl, director of First Coast Technical Institute's School of Culinary Arts, has been a certified culinary educator for 17 years. He is a Certified Chef de Cuisine with the American Culinary Federation and was recently named Chef of the Year by the St. Augustine Cooks and Chefs Association. )

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were still civilized enough to have high tea and a glass of sherry at 4:30 every afternoon? This English Victorian tradition would be a wonderful ritual here!

A tea party is a great way to spend an afternoon with friends and family. It will hold you over until dinner too. Becoming increasingly more popular in today's hectic life style is a Saturday morning tea. To follow proper procedure, I checked the writings of renowned pastry chef and author, Bo Friberg. He says:" . . .tea can be a very simple affair. At the other end of the scale it can be a significant social ritual governed by strict rules of etiquette and protocol.

Here are some of my favorites for your tea party.

Crumpets

click photo to enlarge

Tea china surrounds a trail of truffles, salmon and shrimp canaps and a fruit tart.

By MADELYN TROYANEK, Staff

16 oz. flour

2 1/2 cups warm milk

2 pkgs. yeast

1 oz. sugar

4 eggs

2 oz. melted butter

1 tsp. salt

oil for cooking

8 3-inch cooking rings In the bowl to your mixer combine the milk and yeast, then stir in the sugar and salt. Using the paddle attachment, add the remaining ingredients and stir until you have a batter. Let the batter rise in the mixing bowl until it doubles in volume.

Heat a griddle or large skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Oil your cooking rings, set them on the griddle or skillet and fill each with 2 ounces of batter. Turn them when bubbles appear on the surface, cook them until browned and keep them warm for service. Serve with jam, marmalade, jelly, or your favorite topping.

Scones

12 oz. your choice of dried

1 lb., 12 oz. flour

3 tbsp. baking powder 3 oz. sugar 1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 oz. honey

sugar for dusting

Mix a small amount of the flour with the dried fruit (chopped into small pieces.) This will keep them from sticking together. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then stir in all the rest of the ingredients except for a couple ounces of the heavy cream. Mix the dough together by hand until you have a smooth dough ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Cut the dough ball in half, knead each half for a few minutes and press each piece of dough into rounds. Cut each into wedges; brush with some of the reserved heavy cream, sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake with the sugared sides up in a 425-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate ganache for truffles:

16 oz. heavy cream 24 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1 tbsp. brandy

1 lb. chocolate for coating

Chop the semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan, add the chocolate and remove it from the heat. Stir the cream and chocolate until you have a very rich chocolate sauce. Add the brandy for flavoring. Chill the mixture until it firms up. The chocolate should be the consistency of peanut butter.

Melt the coating chocolate in a double boiler. Shape the truffles by hand or with a small ice cream scoop. Dip each truffle in the melted chocolate and set on a piece of parchment paper. When the coating sets, the truffles are ready to serve. They may be made a day in advance of your party.

Short dough cookies

1 lbs. 4 oz. butter

10 oz. sugar

8 oz. egg yolks

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 oz. lemon zest

1 lbs. 12 oz. flour

egg wash - 2 beaten eggs with 2 ounces of water.

sliced almonds for topping

marmalade, raspberry or your favorite flavor of jam

Cream together the butter and sugar, add the egg yolks, zest, and vanilla. Fold the flour in last, knead lightly, shape into a dough ball and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape it into walnut sized pieces. Put an indention in the top of each brush with egg wash and top each with finely sliced almonds.

Dust each cookie with confectionary sugar and bake at 350 until golden brown. Fill the indentions with marmalade or raspberry jam.

Puff Pastry Pinwheels

2 puff pastry sheets

assorted fruit pie fillings

1/2 lb. confectioner's sugar

2 oz. milk

1 tsp. vanilla Cut each puff pastry sheet into squares. Slice each square from the tip of each corner towards the center of the square to within an inch of the center. Fold alternating corners to the center to make the pinwheels. Press these tips together. Add a tablespoon of your favorite pie filling to the center of each. Bake the pinwheels at 400 degrees, until puffed and golden brown.

Combine the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla to make a simple glaze. Drizzle glaze onto each pinwheel and serve.

Cucumber Sandwiches

1 lbs. cream cheese

1/2 cup chives Combine and cream together the cream cheese and chives and spread on assorted breads, whole wheat, pumpernickel, and white bread.

Peel two cucumbers, slice them very thin and build your sandwiches. Slice each sandwich into bite-sized sandwiches, all without crusts!

Salmon, Shrimp Canaps

1/2 lb. sliced smoked salmon

1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled/deveined

1/2 diced red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 oz. butter

salt/pepper to taste

1 lb. cream cheese

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup chives

1 loaf French bread

capers and fresh dill for garnish

Combine the cream cheese, parsley and chives. Set aside for assembling canaps. Chop the shrimp into small pieces. Melt the butter in a saut pan and saut the shrimp onions and garlic together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the loaf of French bread into thin slices; toast the slices in an oven. Spread the cream cheese mixture on each, top slices with either slices of smoked salmon or the shrimp mixture. Garnish the salmon with chopped dill, the shrimp with capers.